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A Game of Thrones

Desmond accompanies Lord Eddard's party to the trial and execution of a deserter from the Night's Watch. He and Tomard drag the man to an ironwood stump, where he is beheaded by Lord Eddard with his greatsword Ice. On their way home to Winterfell, the party comes across a dead direwolf and Desmond and Jory Cassel are eventually told by Lord Eddard to gather up its pups.[2][3]

He and Tomard take positions along the route of Lord Eddard when he goes to the armony of Tobho Mott in the Street of Steel. Their assignment is to look out for people following Lord Eddard.[6]

Desmond presents Yoren before Eddard when the Night's Watch recruiter informs him about Lady Catelyn taking Tyrion Lannister captive on her way back to Winterfell. Desmond leads Arya Stark out of the room on Lord Eddard's command and to her chambers. Arya wishes it was Tomard who is guarding her father as she then might have been able to linger on and listen at the door, whereas Desmond is too single-minded in his duty to fall for her tricks. On the way to the chambers, Arya asks him how many guards her father has, receiving the answer that the number is fifty. She inquires whether they will make sure that her father won't be killed, to which Desmond laughs and assures her that her father is guarded day and night. When Arya points out that the Lannisters have more men, he replies that every northman is worth ten southron swords and that she can sleep easy. Arya suggests that a wizard might be sent to kill her father, but Desmond says that wizards die just as other men when one cuts off their heads, drawing his longsword for stressing his point.[7]

Desmond is killed in the Stark household purge following Lord Eddard's arrest. Arya finds his body in the stable, lying next to the body of a Lannister soldier. Arya assumes that Desmond killed only one Lannister man, which makes her remember how he assured her that no harm would befall her father and that every northman was worth ten southron swords. She kicks the body in a sudden fury and calls Desmond a liar.[8]